BVRC Sponsored Nets
BVRC Legacy Club Net
Wednesdays at 7:00 pm on the N5BVA Linked Repeater System.
Our Legacy Club Net is our “on air” home to share club information and provide club members and other amateur radio operators a chance to meet on the air and discuss our weekly topic, practice proper net protocol and exchange information. The mission of this net is to disseminate information about and relating to our club and amateur radio while demonstrating and modeling best practices in Amateur Radio net communications. All licensed amateur radio operators are welcomed and encouraged to stop by and check in!
- 147.255 +600KHz offset with a 162.2 Hz tone, Jane, MO.
- 444.100 +5MHz offset with a 162.2 Hz tone, Springdale, AR.
Bella Vista Radio Club Ham 101 Net
Tuesdays at 7:00 pm on the Wide Area Repeater System.
Get your questions answered or issues resolved (as well as gaining on-air experience!) by joining us on our weekly HAM 101 Net. A panel of Elmers will be on hand to field any questions or issues you might have. It’s a fun on-air experience that you’ll really enjoy and also learn net operation protocol in case you’re unfamiliar with nets – a great learning experience! Check-in with us, by accessing any of these repeaters on the Skywarn Link System:
- 145.310 -600KHz offset with a 103.5 Hz tone, Green Forest, AR.
- 146.865 -600KHz offset with a 103.5 Hz tone, Bentonville, AR.
- 147.315, +600KHz offset, with a 97.4 Hz tone, Springdale, AR.
- 147.315 +600KHz offset with a 110.9 Hz tone, Fayetteville, AR.
- 443.625 +5MHz offset with a 97.4 Hz tone, Huntsville, AR.
Experienced hams are also encouraged to join us. You’re welcome anytime!
These repeaters are provided by Jon Williams, K5DVT and they are part of the NWA Skywarn Network. Thanks Jon!
Bella Vista Radio Club 75 Meters Roundtable
Sundays at 4:00 pm on 3.830 MHz HF
Another popular gathering spot for our club members is a weekly HF Roundtable each Sunday afternoon on the 75 Meter band at 3830 KHz. The Roundtable meets at 4:00 pm during Central Standard Time hours (2200 UTC), and at 4:30pm during Central Daylight Time hours (2130 UTC).
Our roundtable experience is always sure to be fun and interesting to say the least. This is a roundtable format where we go around the “table” and chat. Some choose to stick around and chat while others do a quick check in and out. Join in the fun! All licensed amateur radio operators General Class and above (and their third-party guests) are welcomed and encouraged to participate.
We share a variety of news relating to operating, building, experimenting, hamfests & swapmeets, items to buy/sell/trade, and even birthdays and anniversaries.
Periodic guests include Bob Heil, K9EID, of Heil Sound, and other notables. All General Class and higher licensees are welcome!
If your license doesn’t allow transmit capability, you can always tune in via Short Wave Radio!
Tips for New Net Participants
- Net Control is in charge and control at all times. These are directed nets. When joining a more formal net, you are likely to hear the phrase, “directed net.” This means that one operator is in charge of the net, and this person is the net control station (NCS). The NCS is sort of a traffic cop for the net, directing who does what and when. The NCS gets the net started, keeps it orderly, manages net activities, and closes the net down when finished. They’ll take check-ins near the start of the net and periodically thereafter. Listen closely to what Net Control is asking for. Whether it is the Elmer 911 Talking Tech Net or the BVRC Legacy Club Net, Net Control will want specific information from you when you check in. They’ll tell you what they’re looking for and in what format.
- Check-ins to our weekly nets are usually a one-turn affair: you check in, and you are called once for comments. If you wish to make additional comments later, great! Please wait for the next round of check-ins and ask for a re-check.
- When checking in, please state if you have traffic for the net. What constitutes traffic? If you have something specific to announce to the participants of the net, when you check in, indicate “with traffic” or “with an announcement” or similar. Net Control will often call stations with traffic first so that their announcement can get out early on during the net. Stations who check in with no traffic would still be called to make other comments when it’s their turn. Checking in with no traffic does not mean you do not want to be called to make comments.
- Some stations wish to make their presence known (“get on the list”) without being called later for comments. These are called for the count only check-ins. If this is you, announce “for the count only” after you give your call and other requested information at check in.
- When checking in to a net on our analog repeaters, key your microphone, announce “N5BVA” and then unkey and listen for a couple seconds. If you don’t hear any signs of other stations the moment you are unkey, continue your check-in. For example: “alpha bravo four charlie delta echo.” Done correctly by all parties this greatly reduces doubling and tripling during check-ins.
- Remember to slow down a bit during the check-in process so Net Control has a chance to write down all of your information. Give your call sign phonetically and slowly when checking in to a net.
- With our linked repeater systems, pause a second after keying the microphone to allow the repeaters to link up and broadcast simultaneously. This prevents your first word(s) from being truncated.
- The BVRC on-air presence should be a model of good amateur radio practice. REMEMBER – Folks are listening and evaluating!
